Shipping help????

Hi,
I have a lady who is going to send me 4 leos. 2 females, one male and 2 babies. She has never shipped before and neither have I.
She is in NY and I am in PA so it is not to far of a trip. Can you tell me what the best way to do so is? Who should she use with out it being to expensive, is USPS over night a option? I know they take lizards but are they safe? They are only about $20-$25. Also i know UPS ground from NY to PA gets there over night so would that work? She is giving them to me free because they need a good home so she does not want to pay $60 shipping. And how should she pack it? Can someone tell me exactly how to do it so i can send it to her?
Thanks so much.
~Samuel

First off.. isn't that 5 leos haha, jp.

Don't do USPS, they are unreliable and probably won't do it overnight IMO. UPS nextday is a safe bet.

Packing: Put them in nice safe plastic bowls with good lids with air holes then pack paper towels gently around the lizards. Put insulation of some sort all around the outside of the box then place the first bowl into the box. If you can fit them into two bowls I would put a bit of insulation or something on top of that bowl then put a 24hr heat pad there. Now put some more insulation etc. on the heat pad and place your final bowl on top of that. Fill all empty space with newspaper or insulation material, whatever you have around.

Yep that's 5. i hit 4 instead of 5. :-) Do you think UPS Ground would be ok since i am sure it would get here over night since it has ever other time with other stuff? If you dont think that is safe then I'll go with the next day. How much is it?
Any more info would be a big help.
Thanks,
~Samuel

Eh well, I wouldn't imagine there would be any difference in ground and next day if ground will get there nextday for sure. You'll have to make absolutely certain of that. You might want to wait around for someone more experienced than me to answer the ground vs. next day question though.

I would definitely go with Next day. Ground although it has always gotten there next day before is not guaranteed by next day and do you really want to take the chance of this being the one time they didn't show up next day. Next day UPS should run about $50. You can check the price by going to www.ups.com and putting in a shipment from her zip code to yours. Safe package size for 5 leo's I would estimate to be 8x8x8 or 10x10x8 and no more than 3lbs. For me to ship a snake in a 10x10x8 box UPS next day with a weight of 1lb and delivery by 10:30 usually cost between $50-$60 to anywhere in the continental US.

Where in NY is she? I recently shipped from Menands, NY to Lancaster, PA via FedEx Priority Overnite for $35. UPS, I believe, is a bit cheaper as a rule, but I currently breed only snakes (UPS doesn't take them) and FedEx is only 3 miles from my house . Besides, I have had UPS refuse to accept lizards in the past...it all depends on who is working at the time.
I wouldn't do ground, even if it does usually get there the next day. Ground shipments leave earlier, so it is easier to miss the deadline (in which case the box sits there til the next day). Also, it is not GUARANTEED to be there the next day, which is why people pay for overnite service.
Just curious, she is giving them to you for free AND paying shipping? That isn't very fair, since she will also have to purchase a box, styro for insulation, and heat packs (unless she has all of the above already).
Where in NY is she? If she is close enough, I would handle the shipping for cost.

Here's a nice tutorial on how to package for shipping.

http://www.arbreptiles.com/shipping/index.shtml

She is moving out of the country and offered them up for adoption, A few people where interested but only with plans to resale them or breed. I said i would find good homes for them through the rescue i work with and said I'd go half the shipping if it was expensive. I am not sure where in NY she is but I'll ask.
wcreptiles: I sent her that link, thanks it was a good one.
I will keep you posted,
~Samuel

I have a question... you said shipping is usually 50-60 next day... Well I calculated shipping costs for my kings and it turned out 65 and I am getting bashed for it by several people saying I am trying to cheat them and such. Is 65 way over the edge or something, maybe its because of where I live?

Originally Posted by Chris Steele

I have a question... you said shipping is usually 50-60 next day... Well I calculated shipping costs for my kings and it turned out 65 and I am getting bashed for it by several people saying I am trying to cheat them and such. Is 65 way over the edge or something, maybe its because of where I live?

$65.00 does seem like a bit much but it's not unheard of. Could be the size of box you are using. Fedex and UPS both use proportional weight to determine shipping cost. For example although my package weighs only 1lb since I use a 10x10x8 box to ship it I am charged for what they feel the box should weigh. They charge the greater amount of the weight or the box size. For me to ship a box from Arlington, TX to NY was $57.00 and change for Next day by 10:30 am through fedex but that was with a 8x8x8 box. A 10x10x8 box to Louisiana was $56.00 and change for delivery by 10:30. Both contained the same size and weight animal just different size boxes